Bionic gloves help Brazilian pianist play music using all his fingers again

“When he showed me the gloves, I joked that they were for boxing, not to play the piano,” João Carlos Martins , 80, said of the black neoprene gloves made by 3D printer.

Acclaimed Brazilian pianist João Carlos Martins had not played with 10 fingers since he lost the use of his right hand in a 1995 mugging in Bulgaria.

The pianist, who lost the ability to play due to health complications, plays piano again. (REUTERS)

But today he has returned to play his favorite Bach sonatas thanks to “bionic gloves” invented by industrial designer Ubiratan Bizarro.

“When he showed me the gloves, I joked that they were for boxing, not to play the piano,” Martins, 80, said of the black neoprene gloves made by 3D printer.

Brazilian conductor and pianist Joao Carlos Martins, 80.

The gloves have rods that make the fingers spring back up after they depress the keys and allow the pianist to continue playing.

Brazilian conductor and pianist Joao Carlos Martins plays the piano with bionic gloves.

“To be able to use all ten fingers again more than 20 years later is a miracle for me at the age of 80,” he said.

Bizarro says he got the idea from Formula 1 motor racing technology. He spent less than $100 to make the first pair for Martins and now exports them to Europe under the brand name Bionic Extender Gloves.